2/5 Overlong and Inept Adaptation of Henry James
  by Tsuyoshi (Kyoto, Japan)
Lynn Redgrave is Jane Cubberly, a governess who takes over the care of two children Flora and Miles at Bly House. In this quiet country estate she experiences or sees strange things. By the time she knows the truths about her predecessor Miss Jessel and one Peter Quint, she is convinced that some evil force is out there, waiting for the chance to corrupt the two "innocent" children in her charge.

Dan Curtis directed this made-for-TV adaptation of Henry James' famous novella in 1974. The production is obviously low-budget and some images and sound effects are technically inept - in the "storm" scene there is no storm; the sun is shining somewhere up above. The menacing presence of "them" (you know what I am talking about) are not menacing enough; they look like actors with special make-ups - but that is not really the problem of this version.

In spite of some nice visual tricks, Dan Curtis' film is not creepy or psychologically insightful enough. The ambiguity of the original book is totally gone. Look how the governess talking back to her employer, the children's uncle, calling him "dreadful." Her repressed sexual desire is part of her (over)eagerness to "protect her" children, but the film discards one of the most intriguing parts of James' story.

Instead, materials are added to the plot that should be simple, but they result in the film's most unconvincing (and sometimes boring) scenes. When young boy Miles should be a "perfect" and "innocent" child, in her eyes at least, the film describes him as cold-hearted animal torturer. Clearly the boy is not "innocent" in the way the governess would want him to be (neither is Flora, who can be insensitive to the dead frog), but Ms. Cubberly is too slow to understand what is so obvious to us. The film as a consequence fails to create the psychological tension that should be between the governess and the children. The two child actors are very good, but this film's Flora and Miles still do not have mysterious feeling that should keep puzzling us to the very end. Is this slow development intentional? Some scenes even has Miles talking to her as if wooing her, but does that suggest she could be attracted to Miles, not his uncle? But ... what is the point of all of this?

Some may think Lynn Redgrave, who is to be Oscar-nominated twice in the 1990s, is overacting especially in the second half, but all in all her acting (and that of other supporting actors) is acceptable, if not special. Interestingly her father Michael Redgrave played the role of "Uncle" in a far superior adaptation "The Innocents." Megs Jenkins also plays Mrs. Grose, the same role she did in "The Innocents" made 13 years before.

The overlong film is pointless (to me) and lacks intensity. Not bad as most recent James adaptation "In a Dark Place," but still not good.

MPI's DVD includes the interviews with the director Dan Curtis and star Lynn Redgrave.

1/5 Be warned: Poor audio!
  by Peter W. Many (New Orleans, Louisiana United States)
MPI's DVD edition of this video feature has serious audio problems: the dialogue is distorted and impossible to make out, like a radio with very poor reception. (MPI made a similar mess of their DVD version of 1973's "Picture of Dorian Gray").

2/5 Spooky Atmosphere Ruined by Gratuitous Violence
  by
Well-acted, eerie atmosphere, BBC-style British television spooker is all set to be near-perfect, of a quality right up there with The Changeling or the Woman In Black. But some viewers may be turned off by the relentless torturing of animals that the two kids get up to - far more so than the barely hinted at suggestions in The Innocents film version of this great Henry James story. I found this aspect spoiled what could have easily been otherwise an above-average haunted house movie relying on psychological chills in the best tradition of The Haunting.

2/5 Are you serious
  by
Although the plot stayed somewhat close to the Henry James' story the director certaintly took his creative license and ran. Some strange scenes were pointless, and the wonderful ambiguity from the book was complety discarded in this movie. And don't even get me started on the scenery and props, i'm sorry was that a #2 pencil she was writing with in a period movie? And oh the acting! Ouch! The only thing scary about this movie was the scenery, the acting, and that miles kid. Man was he creepy, but he was a riot, "I preffer brandy to tea". Where do the get this stuff?

4/5 better than the rest
  by Julia Heck (Sheboygan, Wisconsin United States)
Despite a few nay sayers out there,this video was pretty darn good. It may not have a polished look,but then again,it was made for television. Within that contects,this version thrives like a vegetable in the rain. The sets are good as well as the acting,effects,and the frightning score by Robert Corbert.